Student Spotlight: James "Bubba" Katona

Colonial Elementary School fourth-grader James Katona is paying it forward in pajamas this holiday season.

James, who is known as Bubba to his friends, is on a mission to collect 500 sets of pajamas to benefit patients at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. The reason? He found great comfort in wearing loose-fitting pajamas while he was a patient there.

Bubba needed the comfortable jammies because he was healing from burns that covered 13 percent of his body. A freak accident that happened after he tripped on the cord for a coffee urn resulted in months of recovery, but the pajamas brought a smile to his face while he was in the hospital.

“You can’t do much when you are in the hospital recovering, so (pajamas) are something that can make you happy,” he said, recalling that some of his favorite character pajamas were Marvel-themed sleepwear featuring the character Thanos. 

Now, Bubba is hoping to help other young patients. He has been featured on NBC10 (click here for the story by reporter Deanna Durante), and his mother, Jaimielynn Bickings, has been spreading the word via social media. So far, he has collected 325 pairs of pajamas.

“Seeing them pile up makes me happy and excited because I get to put smiles on more people’s faces,” he said, adding that he often has to explain to friends about the piles of packages that end up being delivered to his porch.

Bubba is eagerly awaiting the chance to drop off his latest pile of pajamas. It’s something he looks forward to each year because he knows what he delivers will help other children to feel special by receiving a present of pajamas.

“If people supported you, you should support them, too,” he said. “I know how it feels when you’re alone in a hospital room and how bad pain can be, but being nice can help you feel better. Just be kind.”

Donations can be made using the link to this Amazon Wishlist (click here to access) and will be delivered to Bubba’s home. Leave enough time to have the donations delivered before Dec. 22, which is when the Katona family will bring items to the hospital.